Veteran Known for Helping Other Veterans Receives Free Roof Replacement From Community

By Cass Jacoby.  

Vietnam veteran in Pennsylvania is gifted roof from his community.  

Walter Torres has lived in his Lansdale, Pennsylvania home since 1976. Walter fixed up his roof in 1995, but recently problems have begun to start with his roof again, and he wasn’t able to make the necessary repairs.  

"I was willing to do it, but I can't because of my health, it's not that great," Walter told 6ABC. "I tried to patch it up the best I can." 

The 74-year-old Marine Corp veteran served in Vietnam. "From California, I was shipped out to Vietnam. I arrived there in March 1967," Walter told 6ABC.  Luckily, a local veterans organization, Vets for Vets stepped in to put a roof on Walter’s home.  

Vets for Vets is an organization that helps veterans make home repairs when they are no longer able to make these repairs themselves.  Walter is well known for helping other veterans, so the community was more than happy to return the favor to Walter and his wife.  

"Sometimes it's replacing a leaky faucet. Sometimes it's building a ramp for a disability. It could be a roof,” says Brodie Lightcap with Vets for Vets. “[Walter is] always willing to help other vets, get them to their appointments, everyone seems to know him and love him.” 

The organization teamed up with a small, local business, Catalfano Brothers.  Catalfano Brothers replaced Walter’s roof for free and arranged for the materials to be donated. 

Charlie Calfano told 6ABC that this project hits close to home, as his father also served in Vietnam. "There are very few chances you get to give back to a guy like this, who his whole life gave to others," said Charlie. "These people that give a lot for us, and if we have a chance to give something back to them, it's nice to give back to them." 

Walter told 6ABC "I'm very grateful, I can't say anything. I got no words for this. I'm so grateful about it." 

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About Cass

Cass works as a reporter/writer for RoofersCoffeeShop and AskARoofer. When she isn’t writing about roofs, she is writing about movies for her master's degree and dancing with her plants.   

Photo credit: 6ABC